Chihuly Exhibit

One of the many benefits of having a father who works at the VMFA virginia museum of fine arts, is that I get classified information about upcoming exhibits! This coming year, from October to March the VMFA will be exhibiting Chihuly.

Dale Chihuly is an american glass sculptor and entrepreneur.

I, for one, am extremely excited for this exhibit. I was able to do a little glass blowing over break and it is difficult!

Here are a few examples of his work:

Baskervill

On our way back from vacation, my family and I passed through Richmond. I saw a sign for a design firm called Baskervill, and while we did not get to stop and visit, I did a little research on the place. It turns out that it is a certified architectural, engineering and interior design firm that is licensed in 29 states participates in projects throughout the united states and the world. Their site is pretty interesting.
http://www.baskervill.com/Default.aspx

Wild and Wonderful

While on break, I have taken my cultural retreat in the mountains of West Virginia. Nature is a vital spring feeding our creativity; it's beauty surrounds us, everywhere. I have had time to reflect on our fall semester and am looking forward to a productive spring semester together. I hope that you are rested and rejuvenated for a fresh start. See you in Blacksburg soon.

Downtown Charlotte

So I had some time to spare when I was in downtown Charlotte and I decided to explore. I went to the building my dad works in, which is LEED certified. It has a green roof, and its exterior is almost completely glass. There trees growing inside and you can easily taste a difference in the air. Unfortunately you aren't allowed to take pictures so the security guard yelled at me but if you're ever in Charlotte you should check out this building- half of it is a hotel and you would probably have better luck with picture taking.

After that I walked to the Mint Museum and Bechtler Museum of Modern Art. The architecture of these both are quite interesting. The Bechtler's exterior is covered in ceramic tiles. Here are some pictures I took along the way:

This is the Bechtler Museum in the background

9/11 Memorial

This past weekend my family and I went to New York City. We visited the 9/11 Memorial and I found the design of the memorial very interesting and creative. The memorial consists of two large waterfalls leading into reflecting pools which are located where the towers once stood. On the panels around the pools are the names of every person who died in the 2001 and 1993 attacks. A variety of trees surround the pools. When I got home I looked up the design of the memorial on their website and discovered that it was chosen from an international design competition consisting of 5,201 submissions. The website shows what the finished memorial is supposed to look like and it was neat to compare with what it looks like while it is still in the process of being built. I found that the memorial is very environmentally friendly as well. The website also says that "its design conveys a spirit of hope and renewal, and creates a contemplative space separate from the usual sights and sounds of a bustling metropolis" which is a feeling I really got when at the memorial. Overall I think the design is a very successful way to commemorate such a significant tragedy and to remember all of those who gave their lives to help our country. Here are some pictures I took while at the memorial:

According to my parents and other Tech employees, many people actually noticed our projects and used the maps to go see the other ones. Great success!